Ustad al’-Ulama Shaykh Ghulam Muhammad Tonswi

Ustad al’-Ulama Shaykh Ghulam Muhammad Tonswi has Passed Away, he passed away this morning , he was a student of Shaykh al-Kul Malikul Ulama, Allamah Ata Muhammad Mateen Bandyalwi (Allah have mercy on him), who was considered the greatest Muhaddith in Pakistan for over 50 years. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. May He give him to drink from the Basin of His Prophet (alayhi salat wa salam), that he may never thirst thereafter, and may He enter him into the highest gardens of Paradise! Ameen.

He is the greatest scholar in Pakistan today. He is from Multan and has taught over 30 sciences and over 100 books in the last 53 years with an endless list of ‘Ulamah that he has produced, who are now serving all over the world.

The Shaykh is considered the master of logic, classical philosophy, Kalam, tafsir, balaghah, Arabic grammar, usul, astronomy and many other sciences. He continued to teach 6 hours a day and spends 6 hours preparing lessons, I have never met a man as disciplined and time concious as him. He teaches what other ulama have stopped teaching and each book is incredibly difficult. Hamdullah, Meer Zahid, Umur Amah, Shamse Bazighah, Mulla Sadra, Mulla Abdul Ghafoor, Chighmini, Mullah Hasan, Talweeh Tawdeeh, Musallam Thubut, Baydawi, Maani, Rasheediyah, Khayali, Sharh al-Mawaqif, Khudri ala Ibn Aqeel are just some of the classical Darse Nizami books our beloved Shaykh has taught for several years. He was also a senior teacher at Jamia Naushahia at Naushapur Shareef. Amongst his students are many young English speaking ‘Ulamah who have studied with them, The Madrassa is under the guidance of the noble Shaykh; Sayyid Mahroof Hussain Naushahi Qadri.

The noble Shaykh read the dars-e-nizami books twice (it takes eight years to do the course once) at the hands of the teacher of the ulamah, the master of Islamic sciences, Allamah Sayyidi Ata Muhammad Bandyalwi who then commented “you have eaten much lentils of bandyaal, it is time for you to leave”.

One of the Shaykh’s miracles is that he cannot write. He never went to school. But he is one of the greatest authorities of the Islamic sciences in Pakistan!

His memorisation is amazing and when he teaches, he offers all the commentary to Khayali, for example, all from his memory in such a way that he analyzes Nibras and Hashiya Abdul Hakeem at once and gives his original remarks too (all 3 of these are commentaries to single aqida text Sharhul Aqaid). This is with the tawfiq of Allah Almighty.

He is perhaps one of the healthiest men I have met at his age. He eats yoghurt for breakfast and tea after a while, has food just once a day at noon, sleeps after zuhr, has tea after he wakes up, meets guests between asr and magrib and then prepares lessons for the following day till midnight in a single seat. He walks 2.5 hours everyday at tahajjud/fajr time whether at home, in the madrasa and even during his travels to other cities. He always told us one of the reasons for good health was walking in the morning as it circulated blood around the entire body.

Many gems of the ummah are sitting in a single seat where the whole world turns up to them. These are true Awliya of Allah almighty who have sacrificed their lives for the service of the Islamic sciences..